Pruning of trees, shrubs

Pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out in accordance with the Rules for the maintenance of green spaces, approved by the Resolution of the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services of the Republic of Belarus dated January 13, 2020, No. 1.

Pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out in the period from October to April, except for sanitary pruning, which is carried out all year round.

Pruning of trees and shrubs characterized by intense spring sap flow (maple, alder) is carried out in October.

Works on pruning trees and shrubs are not carried out under adverse meteorological conditions (heavy rain, snowfall, thunderstorm, icy conditions, fog, gusty wind over 14 m/s, air temperature below minus 15 °C).

Three types of pruning of trees and shrubs are carried out (sanitary, formative, and rejuvenating). The procedure and specifics of pruning trees and shrubs are determined by a specialist of the relevant qualification in the field of landscaping (hereinafter referred to as the landscaping specialist), if necessary, with the involvement of researchers.

Sanitary pruning of trees and shrubs involves the removal of dry, old, diseased, damaged, and intertwined shoots and branches, as well as branches directed inward or close to each other. Shoots growing from the central trunk upwards at an acute angle or vertically (excluding pyramidal forms) are subject to removal to prevent them from breaking and forming wounds on the trunk, as well as branches located near overhead utilities.

Sanitary pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out throughout the year as needed.

Removal of diseased and dry branches is carried out to healthy tissue, with branches removed at the ring at their base, and shoots - above the "outer" bud, without damaging it.

Immediately after pruning trees and shrubs, all wounds with a diameter of more than 2 cm are covered with garden pitch or painted with oil paint on natural drying oil. For coniferous trees that exude a lot of resin, wounds are not covered.

Formative pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out to preserve the natural shape of trees and shrubs or to give the crown a specified shape (spherical, conical, cylindrical, etc.).

Formative pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out from November to April; adjusting the shapes of trees and shrubs is also permissible in the summer period.

When formative pruning of trees and shrubs in alley or row plantings, constant monitoring of the height, size, and shape of the crowns is ensured.

The shape of the tree crown largely depends on care during the first 20 years of growth.

Rejuvenating pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out to increase the lifespan of plants by partially or completely removing branches of the old crown. It is performed on trees and shrubs that, with age, despite good care, lose their decorative qualities, stop giving annual growth, and have dead tops. Rejuvenating pruning is applied to potentially dangerous trees with a slight lean and/or significant height, growing in playgrounds, near sidewalks, at building entrances, over roadways, or those with dead tops of 55-60% when tree growth is weakened.

Rejuvenating pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out only on species with good shoot-forming ability (linden, poplar, willow), taking into account the condition and age of the tree (the older the age, the less the degree of pruning).

Rejuvenating pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out down to the zone of new young shoot emergence, significantly shortening old branches, cutting them by 1/2 to 3/4 of their total length.

Rejuvenating pruning of trees is carried out gradually over 2-3 years, starting from the top of the main branches, and is performed during the dormant period after leaf fall (before sap flow begins), from October to April at an air temperature not lower than minus 15 °C.

Pruning of trees and shrubs growing on public lands of settlements is carried out by an authorized person within the scope of maintaining green areas or based on a civil law contract.

Tree and shrub pruning work is carried out by a qualified landscaping specialist who has undergone training (internship) in the established manner and possesses the techniques for pruning trees and shrubs, as well as special knowledge of the biological characteristics of trees and shrubs.

Tree and shrub pruning work to prevent harm to the life and health of citizens, and to the property of citizens and legal entities, is carried out by the users of land plots within the boundaries of which the trees and shrubs subject to pruning grow, as well as by other persons on the basis of a civil law contract.

Tree and shrub pruning work to eliminate obstacles to the operation of buildings, structures, and other facilities is carried out by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs operating these buildings, structures, and other facilities, as well as by other persons on the basis of a civil law contract.

Tree and shrub pruning work to enhance their aesthetic appeal is carried out by a person in the field of landscaping within the scope of maintaining green areas or on the basis of a civil law contract.

Tree and shrub pruning work with crow nests located on them, aimed at regulating their distribution and numbers, is carried out by an authorized person, based on an inspection report compiled by a commission established by a decision of the local executive and administrative body, by destroying bird nests during the period from August 15 to February 15.

Topping (topping) of trees, when the crown and the upper part of the tree trunk are completely removed during pruning, is not carried out.

To stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, increase crown density, and maintain the desired shape of "living" hedges and shrub borders, formative pruning is carried out; they are trimmed starting from the first year after planting. Trimming is done from the top at a single (determined) height from the ground surface and from the sides, cutting off 1/3 of the previous year's growth. Hedges made of light-loving shrubs are formed in the shape of a truncated pyramid with side slopes of 20-25° and a wider base at the bottom.

In the first year, shrubs in a hedge are pruned once during the growing season - in early spring before sap flow begins.
Later, they are pruned 3 to 6 times per growing season as they regrow.

Instead of multiple prunings, chemical substances that slow the growth of landscaping plants can be used. A single, uniform spring treatment of hedges with chemical growth regulators delays shrub growth throughout the entire growing season, replacing 3 to 4 mechanical prunings. The treatment is carried out immediately after the first spring pruning when the leaves are fully open.

Systematic pruning is not performed on group plantings of shrubs. For such groups, dried old branches and branches that excessively thicken the crown are removed when the foliage is present. Group plantings of shrubs are thinned once every two to three years during the dormant period.

Shrubs with flower buds evenly distributed or concentrated in the upper part of last year's shoots are not pruned; only faded inflorescences or, if necessary, fruit ovaries are removed.

For shrubs with flower buds on current year's shoots that bloom in mid or late summer, the shoots are shortened by 1/2 to 1/3 of their length in spring (before growth begins) or late autumn, depending on the species and variety.

Shrub formation begins in the first year after planting. The pruning depth for shrubs in the first year is 1/2 to 1/3 of the previous year's growth length; subsequently, it increases to 2/3 of the shoot length. The number of prunings for young shrubs is 1 to 2 times per growing season, and when the shrubs reach full decorative appearance, the number of prunings increases to 4 to 6 times for fast-growing shrubs and up to 3 times for slow-growing ones. The first pruning of shrubs is done in March-April before bud break, subsequent prunings are done as the profile clarity is lost.